Help encrypting my network

I have tried, many times, to encrypt my wireless network, but I cannot get it to work...
There are several things I'm wondering about, and maybe you guys can help me.

I have some screenshots, as always , of my specific questions.





Okay, first off, what should I choose for security mode, and how do I set it up?

Secondly, what do I choose for mac filter, and how do I set it up.

Lastly, is there anything I need to tinker with in the advanced wireless settings?

I would really appreciate some help. Thanks in advance!

Alot depends on how secure you want your network.

My suggestions would be, under security mode, to select "WEP".

You should then have the option for either 64bit or 128bit encryption. On that, it just depends how secure you want it to be. For 64bit, you'll need to come up with a 10 digit hex key. For 128bit, you'll come up with a 26 digit key.

Your choice.

Yeah I know that, but what do I do after I generate the code? How do I let the other computer connect to it?

After you generate the key, you go into the connection settings of the various workstations on your network, and input the key to be used for that particular network. It should then automatically connect each time.

Without having the proper key, the system will still connect and the dhcp server will still assign an IP address, but it will block all data to and from that address.

You really don't need to do anything with the options you see on Screenshot #2 and #3. Just set the mode to WEP, generate a key, save the settings and input the key into your workstations.

Most, if not all of the wireless connections I've delt with won'te even be issued an ip address without the proper encryption key (at least using wep).

So if you get the message that you have "good" or "excelent" signal, but can't connect to the internet, check your ip and make sure you're being issued one by the router. If not, make sure you generated and input your wep key correctly.

Okay this ISN'T WORKING. I set the router security to WEP, selected 4 Transmit keys, chose 128 bit 26 digit hex Encryption, and generated 4 keys. I go to the other computer, I connect to the network, it prompts me for a key, I put the first one generated in. It connects, and says it's successfully connected, but then when I go to use the internet it says the page cannot be displayed. So I went into the internet protical options and put the ip in, and it still wouldn't work. HELP!!!

Are you even getting an ip address? If so, is it one coming from the router.

If you are getting an ip, trying pinging out by url. If no response, try by ip address.

If all else fails, try setting up just 1 wep key in the router. You could also try changing it to 64 bit encryption and see if that will even work.

What do you mean am I even getting an ip address? How do I check that? All I did was set it to automatically get everything. I don't quite understand...

Anyone? I really need help with this guys...

ok my advice is skip WEP encryption. i used it but it just slowed me down, not to mention my second computer had problems connecting to the WEP signal. use MAC filtering instead.
what you should do, is go to Security Mode, and disable it.
Go to MAC Filtering and click Enable, and Permit Only
Click EDIT MAC FILTER LIST
do you know your comp's MAC address?
if you're not, do not enable MAC filtering yet. go to your DHCP CLient table and check to see what is connected. find the entry that is yours. there should be a COloum that says MAC Address. the MAC address consists of a series of number and letters like this : 00-0f-66-6d-98-1d
find that mac address and those of any other computer you want to use the signal
go back to MAC Address filtering, and enter in those MAC addresses for the comps which are gonna be used. save settings and exit.
that should stop any computers from using your wireless unless they are on the list of allowed comps

if by accident you enter the wrong MAc address and you cant access the internet, you can always do a hardware reset on your router, and start from scratch.

good luck

Okay thank you very much for the advice, but I don't need to know the mac address for my computer, I need to get it for the other computer downstairs. How do I find it on the other computer? Or is the mac address the same?

Never mind I got it. Do I need to put my mac address in the allowed list? Or does it automatically give me a connection because I'm hardwired to the router?

you should put it in the Allowed list. becuase in my experience, if you dont put the MAC address of the comp you want to use the wireless connection, then the comp will pick up the signal, but you wont get any farther than that. so yes, get the MAC address of all comps you wanna use the wireless with, and add it into the allowed list. you should have no problems once you do that.

edit: even if you have a comp that is directly connected to the wireless router, it really wouldn't hurt to add that MAc address too, it doesn't hurt to be too safe

I added the computer on the wireless connection to the allowed list, saved it, and I still have internet without putting in my mac address. So it looks like I don't need too... Thanks for the help everyone